Leaves dot the grass, grown long with too little mowing (the insects appreciate this “neglect,” no doubt), as the air cools into October and the light grows golden. The garden, as it has been since spring, is full of weeds. Black tarps cover beds that were never planted, and that now need to be sown with winter cover crops.

Where have I been, if not in the garden or at the market?

I have been raising a different sort of sprout this year. This little bean has ten little fingers and ten little toes, as one of his favorite books says, and he has upended our lives in the best way possible – nevermind the weedy garden.

As we settle into a new sort of rhythm, I have been sneaking back to the market – twice in September, as you may have seen, and hopefully two or three more times before the season ends. At the very least, I will be there this Saturday, 9am to 1pm! I’ll have potatoes and garlic, and possibly cherry tomatoes and fresh herbs, as well as lots of crocheted items, from stuffed animals to dish cloths. I’ve missed being at the market, with my fellow vendors and regular customers, and I’m thrilled to be back.

I hesitate to make any promises (nothing is certain where gardens or babies are concerned), but I can tell you my hopes. I hope to grow vegetables again next year, and maybe do some fun new things with herbs, and set up at the market on a regular basis. I also hope to write more consistently again, and keep you all in the loop. In the meantime, this Saturday I hope to…

See you at the market!

The peas have sprouted, the garlic appears to be growing well, and the lawn is a beautiful patchwork of tiny, blue bird’s-eye speedwell. We are also quickly approaching market season!

The Broadway Community Market will open on May 3 this year, with updated hours of 9am to 1pm. I’ll be there every Saturday (excepting one or two for vacation) with fresh vegetables and herbs and sustainably crocheted items until the season’s end in mid-October.

But first, I have an exciting event coming up this Saturday! I’ve been crocheting some fun new friends for the Vintage With A View Spring Market at the Briery Branch Community Center in Bridgewater, 10am-4pm. My husband, Paul, will also be joining me with his beautiful nature photography, available as framed canvases and notecards. Come enjoy the warm spring weather and browse more than 50 vendor booths!

I have one more exciting announcement coming later this spring! My email subscribers will be the first to know and have early access to sign up for the Exciting Thing, so make sure you’re subscribed! Tip: If you didn’t receive this post in your inbox, you can enter your email in the sidebar of this blog (you may have to scroll up).

See you at the market!

Autumn seems to have finally arrived, with the temperatures dipping into (and out of) the cooler ranges and even some flurries in the forecast. Although planting the garden may not seem like a fall activity, I have spent the warmer days of the past several weeks cleaning out the beds and sowing winter cover crops (winter rye and daikon radish). And just yesterday I planted a large patch of garlic, to be harvested next summer.

With the cover crops sown and garlic in the ground, I almost feel ready for winter. There is always more to be done in the garden, even this time of year, but I have the essentials checked off, and that’s certainly something to be thankful for.

I am also ready for my last market of the year! Next Wednesday, November 27, 1-5 p.m., the Broadway Community Market is hosting a special Thanksgiving Market Event. This is always a fun event, and we have an incredible lineup of vendors this year (I’ve counted nearly 20 vendor spotlights on the event page!), including live music.

I will be there with sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, garlic, and onions for your holiday dinners. And in addition to my usual assortment of practical and sustainable crocheted items, I’ll also have mini stockings, little Christmas trees, and acorn ornaments. The acorns, upcycled from thrift store baubles and yarn, would make a cute addition to a Thanksgiving centerpiece – and then they can be hung on the Christmas tree!

Thank you all so much for your support of Fairydiddle Farm and my fellow vendors at the Broadway Community Market this year. As I always say, there’s no community market without the community.

See you at the market!